Gamertell

Ziff Davis has announced that PC Magazine will no longer exist in print. The publication has a 27 year legacy behind it but, alas, the digital era claims another print casualty. The final print issue of PC Magazine will be of January 2009. Simply put by Jason Young, chief executive of Ziff Davis, told The New York Times:

“The viability for us to continue to publish in print just isn’t there anymore”

Technology readers have certainly become accustomed to trading in their rags for websites. Many readers also own a mobile phone with some form of a web browser on where they can load stories on the go that are mirrored by sites offering compact mobile versions of themselves including Cnet, i.Engadget and even Gamertell.

In an open letter to readers from editor-in-chief, Lance Ulanoff, PC Magazine has offered a digital version of its publication appropriately named, PC Magazine Digital Edition, since 2002. This edition will remain and current subscribers who have their email addresses on file will automatically begin receiving the digital publication.

Further down the New York Times article, Mr. Ulanoff admitted that, “All content goes online first, and print has been cherry-picking for some time what it wants for the print edition”. Looks like things will remain business as usual on content front but business will be done under a new banner from the old PCMag.com to PCMag Digital Network.

The sad end of this news is that people will be losing their jobs. The New York Times reports that seven people in circulation, production, and advertising will be cut from the team. Our best goes out to those who will be undergoing the job hunt next year.

Gamers have already felt the effects of the print publication collapse earlier this year with the closing down of the much celebrated, GFW Magazine. Since then, pretty much the entire staff has left the company to pursue other opportunities.

The plan was similar to what PC Magazine will be undergoing, to bring the publication online. The logic was simple: PC gamers are already at their PCs, so the company put two and two together and the result has been mixed opinions. So readers disagree with the new output some readers prefer it, most readers are still pissed former editor-in-chief, Jeff Green, left.

What I’m getting at is Electronic Gaming Monthly,  also a Ziff Davis print publication, may become the next print casualty. When the New York Times asked Jason Young what the plans were, all they could extract is that Ziff Davis is considering it but won’t decide this year.

Again, earlier in the year former editor-in-chief of EGM, Dan Hsu, left the company and responsibilities were handed to James Mielke. Both have done a stunning job orchestrating the magazine. Alas, the sad part is that people will be losing their jobs but most people are getting their news and the like off the internet anyway.

Even the bang-up features that have been filling EGM‘s pages have only been tiny samples for the later on full version web versions. It’s a circle of destruction that doesn’t look to end soon with print publications.

Read [New York Times] Also [GamerTell] Site [PCMag]